"Although her ability to speak was extremely limited, she retained her comic chops; her last audible words were a perfectly timed 'ar ar ar' dropped during a lull in the conversation that cracked up the small audience gathered in her room."
"Pittman gained prominence during the AIDS crisis, performing comedy as an openly LGBTQ+ individual during a time when, as she later reflected, 'we needed to laugh.'"
"Her one-woman show It's All the Rage, performed at San Francisco's Marsh Theatre, shared how she was able to cope with unimaginable challenges through performance."
"Pittman later expanded her work to include narration for documentaries and corporate films, consulting and coaching for NPR stations, and co-hosting and co-producing the weekly LGBTQ+ interview show Out in the Bay."
Marily Pittman, a prominent LGBTQ+ standup comic and radio host, died on March 28, 2026, in hospice care. Her partner, Deb McDonald, shared the news, highlighting Pittman's enduring humor even in her final moments. Pittman gained recognition during the AIDS crisis, using comedy to cope with personal and societal challenges. She performed at significant events, including the 1993 March on Washington, and created impactful works like her one-woman show It's All the Rage. Pittman also contributed to NPR and co-hosted the LGBTQ+ interview show Out in the Bay, leaving behind a rich legacy.
Read at San Francisco Bay Times
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